This place is worth the line! The flavors rotate often and they always taste so good, even the super creative ones you wouldn't expect! I was served by a scooper named Lydia and she was super helpful and sweet. She was very knowledgeable on the allergens within each flavor which I haven't gotten from other ice cream places. We'll be back! read more

Salt and Straw is known for their fun and interesting flavor combinations. They have rotating flavors that match with what's in season but also some regular flavors that are always available. My favorite flavor is Sea Salt with Caramel. Delicious. The location is great for pedestrians but can be difficult for vehicles. There is parking in front of the shop but because it's such a busy street, it's hard to get parking there. The service is generally quick. Evening is the worst time to go. The line is always out the door and down the street. Try going in the afternoon instead of after dinner. The weekend has the longest evening lines. The ambiance is a cute ice cream shop full of college kids. Overall a great place for dessert. To make life easier on yourself, grab a pint to share with friends instead of getting in line. Just my opinion. read more

Friday evening ... sunny skies with a bit of a breeze ... after a long day at work, decided to stop by for something cool and something light -- first thing that I was craving was ice cream. Upon entering Salt & Straw, you can smell aroma of the flavors ...! The menu offers a nice variety of flavors; the staff is kind and does allow samples for you to try beforehand. They are very helpful and knowledgeable. I ended up getting the Hazelnut Cookies & Cream, so good! One of my favorites! It is pricier than most ice cream parlors but it's worth it. Parking is a bit of pain because it gets very crowded so I ended up parking two blocks away, at the parking lot. Would definitely return in the future and would most likely try another flavor! SALT & STRAW ***** FIVE STARS ***** read more

See all

Salt & Straw is always a nice place to go for a sweet treat! They have a variety of flavors to choose from, and are totally open to giving out free samples if you are trying to decide. They do not skimp out on the amount as well, so one scoops is more than enough for me. I'd recommend paying the extra $0.50 for the split scoop and not making the mistake I did of getting two scoops. There was a bit of a line, but it does go by pretty quick, and parking is a bit of a challenge as it is in downtown Palo Alto, so keep an eye out. read more

Salt & Straw - Salted, Malted, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pint, Honey Lavender, Chocolate Caramel Smoke Budino - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I stopped by on a late evening. There was still a decent moving crowd. Chocolate gooey brownie was my favorite flavor. Honey lavender was my other favorite. My other flavors were Double fold vanilla, Pear and blue cheese and Chocolate almond gold bar. All were excellent flavors. Ice cream was creamy. read more

See all

I love this place! They have very high quality products - open till 11pm - long lines, that are so worth it! You can try as many flavors as you like. They always have unique ones from a seasonal perspective. They have great locations - I love Univ Ave and also the one near Valley Fair mall. The vibe is very chill - the people servicing are very polite and seem to enjoy their job :) My fav flavor is are honey lavender and sea salt caramel with ribbons. read more

See all

Stopped by Saturday afternoon and got luckily with a short wait. Usually there is quite a line. But it moves pretty quickly. Staff are friendly and helpful. You can't help being drawn by the fragrant freshly made waffle cones when walking by. Ice cream is delicious and high quality. Rich and creamy. Their classic flavors are always a hit and they have monthly specials that are quite creative. This time around we had one of their specials- jasmine milk tea Stracciatella and their classic coffee with love nuts(chocolate glazed pecans). Easy parking in the multi level structure around the corner. read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I'm genuinely blown away. I've been managing three ice cream shops since 2018, and it is SO hard to impress me when it comes to quality. Most places cut corners with their ingredients, but this one absolutely does not. From the first bite, I could tell the cream quality was exceptional. Rich, smooth, and made the right way. On top of that, their prices were very reasonable. Customer service was fast and great, very clear with options and patient while ordering. I went on Valentine's Day and everything was spotless and organized. This is the first ice cream shop around the Bay that has truly amazed me that isn't mine. So happy I found this place. read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Went to the Salt and Straw in downtown Palo Alto to try the Apple Cider themed menu in September! We went on a Sunday around 7pm and managed to find parking right in front of the store. Limited indoor seating (about 2-3 stools). We wanted to try all the new flavors so the employee helping us generously gave lots of samples! Ended up getting a split scoop of the Apple Cider Donuts and the Hoppy Apple Cider Sorbet with a Pumpkin Spice Waffle come on the side. Ice cream was tasty! My favorite was the Apple Cider donuts. I probably wouldn't pay the extra $1.65 for the cone again but glad I tried it. Great staff and ice cream - I will definitely be back! read more

See all

Came to this Salt & Straw location on a Friday night around 6:30PM, and there was thankfully no line when my friend and I ordered. We enjoyed our ice cream for around 30 minutes, and there was a huge line out the door by the time we left. I sampled two of their seasonal flavors: the Essence of Ghost, which had too strong of an alcoholic scotch taste for my liking, and Creepy Crawler Critters, which I wanted to have a stronger green matcha taste but did not have so. I settled on two flavors: their classic Freckled Mint Chocolate Chip and the seasonal Great Candycopia. The chocolate chip flavor was really refreshing, with a natural mint taste and chocolate freckles that added the right amount of sweetness and texture. The Great Candycopia seasonal flavor reminded me of a Snickers bar, and every bite of the scoop gave a different texture. There's not that many seats available here, but great service and fun seasonal flavors! read more

Salt & Straw - October 2025 Seasonal Menu - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

See all

3.5 stars I'm not a big ice cream person, and salt and straw is just a little too sweet for me. But I love the variety of unique flavors they offer, and am especially happy to see some new offerings like their proprietary choco-taco! I was especially happy to be able to drop by at 2pm, without a huge line. Very sweet and rich, but lots of unique options. read more

It was a hot day and I was really craving ice cream, so I stopped by Salt & Straw--and it totally hit the spot! They always have such a great selection of ice cream with unique, creative flavors. I especially love trying their limited-edition flavors whenever I visit--it makes the experience exciting every time. The ice cream itself is exactly how I like it: super creamy and indulgent. Service was fantastic too--everyone was so patient and friendly, which made the visit even better. Salt & Straw never disappoints. It's one of those spots where you can always count on a good time (and a great scoop)! read more

See all

Salt & Straw is absolutely worth a visit if you enjoy creative and high quality ice cream. The ice cream is delicious and easily justifies the long lines during busy hours. The monthly special flavors are always exciting and give you a good reason to come back regularly. Personal favorites include the Coffee and Love Nuts flavor and the Nuts and Chocolate Gooey Brownie, both rich and very satisfying. Another highlight is the freshly baked waffle cones and waffle cups, which add great texture and aroma to the overall experience. The staff are consistently courteous and welcoming, and they are happy to offer samples, so do not hesitate to try a few flavors before deciding. Portion sizes can be quite generous, and at times the regular scoop feels too big, so opting for a kids scoop can be a good choice. read more

Salt & Straw - Coffee and Love Nuts in Brownie Waffle Cone - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

One of my favorite ice cream shops. Honey lavender is my usual go to, but I tried the strawberry and coconut sherbet and it was so fresh and delicious! Ambiance was casual and I appreciate that you can sample the flavors beforehand. Great friendly and patient service and I'm excited to be back when I'm in the Bay! read more

Understandably, their waiting time is very long. This place has limited parking and long lines. It's always busy whenever i pass by it. The ice cream tasted mid for me. However, i give props for having a vegan option. My boyfriend really loves their chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. The workers there were friendly and the place overall spacious. read more

See all

4.5 stars for my favorite flavor sea salt caramel and 3 stars for the peanut brittle which was too sweet. It was super busy on a weekend night. The ice cream is melting already when we got it 20 minutes later. There is also way too much caramel here so it was sweeter than usual. read more

Salt & Straw - sea salt caramel and peanut butter brittle - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Talk about packed on a Friday night! The line at this Salt & Straw was winding out the door - my friend and I both tried to use the restroom but it was closed permanently for that day. Luckily though, Salt & Straw is absolutely worth the wait. The line honestly moved pretty quickly, and it was a great opportunity to chat with my friend in line :) I got the chocolate olive oil sourdough in a waffle cone, while my friend got the regular olive oil in a waffle cone, her favorite. Salt & Straw always has unique monthly flavors, but even sourdough surprised me! It tasted like regular chocolate ice cream with bits of bread in between, so you definitely need to bite and chew a teensy bit. I'd be so curious to see what the sourdough would taste like with strawberry or vanilla, or even just normal olive oil. Good segue into my friend's olive oil selection. She loved it, per usual, no surprise. As someone who grew up always getting vanilla, she found solace in an elevated olive oil flavor akin to vanilla. Olive oil at Salt & Straw has outperformed her typical favorite ice cream flavor of chocolate chip cookie dough. We wish there were so many more Salt & Straws around - we'd be frequent customers. Can't wait to see this month's flavors! read more

Salt & Straw - April 2025 limited flavors - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

See all

The workers here are all so bubbly and quirky, really matches the vibe of the shop! I love the ice cream flavors here - just tried the seasonal flavors for this thanksgiving and the butter cream one was my favorite. Can't wait to go back for more before it's gone!! read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I stopped by Salt & Straw in Palo Alto and honestly, I'm glad I did. I got the Hazelnut Cookies & Cream vegan option, and man... it was delicious. Creamy, smooth, and with actual flavor -- not that watered-down "yeah, this is definitely vegan" taste you sometimes get at other places. I'm grateful they actually take their vegan options seriously. Most spots throw one basic flavor on the menu and call it a day, which usually means I skip them. But here? They gave me a reason to stay. The hazelnut hit perfectly, the cookie pieces had good texture, and the whole thing felt like a legit dessert, not a compromise. Service was quick, the place was clean, and the vibe was chill. Palo Alto gets crowded, but I didn't feel rushed. If you're looking for a spot that respects vegan customers and still delivers on flavor, this is it. I'd go back for sure. read more

4.7/5: Parker house rolls with salted buttercream monthly flavor for November. It's outstanding. They start with a basic salted butter ice cream that uses butter extract for more flavor. It has a mix-in using King Hawaiian rolls. The rolls are toasted and covered in buttercream, then mixed-in. It's also very high in fat; 12g saturated fat per serving: see photo for nutritional info, which is not provided on their web site. read more

I've loved salt and straw since I used to live in Portland so I was happy to see a location in downtown Palo Alto. This location was much less crowded but offered delicious ice cream just the same. My favorite part is the vegan flavors! They have something for everyone here. read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

See all

Salt & Straw post dinner is always a nice treat! The Palo Alto location can definitely get busy. I always get the strawberry and coconut water sherbet now! $6.75 for a single scoop. Parking can be tough in the area. read more

After grabbing dinner nearby, my friends and I decided to go on a stroll and get dessert. We ended up choosing Salt & Straw to satisfy our craving. Since I'm lactose intolerant, I always need the ice cream shop to offer dairy free options and this place did not disappoint. I ended up sampling their sourdough and chocolate olive oil ice cream which was a good mix of savory and sweet. Still, I decided to go with the peanut butter brittle scoop since I felt like doing it big. The scoop had everything you'd look for: good texture, mixed flavorings, and creamy. I will say that you should be prepared to deal with a wait, but the line moves fairly quickly. Overall, this was a great ice cream experience! read more

Salt & Straw - Internal decorations. - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

See all

Always a fan of trying the limited monthly flavors from salt & straw! Came to visit a Saturday night with a friend, and as per usual it was very busy, but the line moved very quick and the staff was very kind. We ordered the waffle cone with a scoop of the pots of gold and rainbow, and it was absolutely delicious! Overall, I highly recommend visiting and trying the monthly flavors! read more

Salt & Straw - House Made Waffle Cones with Pots of Gold & Rainbows Pint - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

See all

My favorite ice cream dessert place. The chocolate gooey brownie and cake batter chocolate fudge are my picks. Line moves fast and staff are always friendly. read more

Salt & Straw - Cake batter chocolate fudge - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Even in cold weather, it is hard to pass up Salt & Straw! We came for dessert after a dinner out and weren't disappointed! My husband's main complaint was that the one scoop was too much ice cream (because we'd just had a nice full meal), but that's the only potential downside! I got the Hazelnut Chocolate Cookies and Cream flavor and my husband got the Coffee and Love Nuts flavor (it was February). I think I liked my flavor more than he liked his, but we both enjoyed our ice cream! I do wish they had a little more indoor space and seating during the winter months, but otherwise the location is great. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the area! read more

Salt & Straw - Hazelnut Chocolate Cookies & Cream single scoop, with a few bites taken out so it doesn't melt over the side - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

A few coworkers and myself was eating dinner across the street. Afterwards we walked past here and decided to pop-in. A busy spot that always has a long line, but it goes fast. The menu was interesting. Vegan yes, but it was ice cream blended with a different type of nuts than usual. Some mixtures were mixed with vegetables in them. Definitely not what we expected. We stuck with a simple choice of the chocolate brownie. I actually enjoyed it. I ordered a single, which was a super scoop. Nice spot for vegans and for those that perfer a healthier type of ice cream. read more

Salt and Straw starts to taste a little too sweet after a while, but some of the flavors are super unique and yummy. The line was kind of long but it moves decently fast. read more

Salt & Straw - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

First time at salt & straw and it did not disappoint! Waited like 20 min (line started outside) and I liked that they had classic flavors with a little spin. Super quality and tasty ice cream. They have window seating as well as outdoor seating, but not much. It seems more like a eat as u walk around ice cream spot read more

Salt & Straw - Outside - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

See all

Seasonal menus? Special Flavors? Scoops, Pints, Quarts? This is the place to go for the best Ice Cream in the South Bay, hands down! Cute little shop, knowledgeable staff (yeah that can actually be a thing at an ice cream shop) are what make Salt & Straw the place we love to go! Try it and see for yourself! read more

Salt & Straw - To say this ice cream is 'good' is like calling filet mignon an 'ok steak'....This stuff is incredible! - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

I love this little ice cream shop! It is right on University Avenue, so they get a lot of foot traffic. Parking can also be challenging to find, especially on the weekends. They are so good! I especially like their fruit-flavored ice creams. I've forgotten what flavor I got this last time, but their chocolate brownie, snickerdoodle and double fold vanilla are always so good! Their staff are always really good with recommending something if you don't know what to get. They also are really good at offering a small sample if there's something you want to try but are iffy about it. I've always had really friendly and patient service when I come in, even when they are really busy. Overall, I always have a positive experience, and I would not hesitate to keep coming back. read more

See all

Peach Jam Miso Blondie ( Monthly Flavor ) tasted amazing! It's salty notes might not be for everyone though Kind service! The worker walked away before I paid which I thought was a little odd but it's no biggie lol Clean space, located on a fun street that you can wander around :) read more

Salt & Straw - Peach Jam Miso Blondie - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Located in Palo Alto along University Ave, there are a few parking garages with a good number of available spots. Surprising no line for this place. I came on a Sunday afternoon. Usually there's a long line out the door around 7/8 pm most nights. I went with a honey lavender shake. It was so creamy and flavorful. Also very fragrant. A little bit on the sweet side. Nonetheless a delicious drink. Tap to pay is accepted. Overall, Salt and Straw makes for a delicious dessert. Their flavors are quite unique. During peak hours there may be a long line but it moves quickly. read more

I'm truly not against salt and straw but was very disappointed when my friend got me their ice cream cake. Would not recommend - the cookie cake was overly sweet and very crumbly. The berry swirl was lacking entirely, and the cream cheese frosting was entirely in globs that were unappetizing. And the price is outrageous too read more

Love that they offer exciting vegan flavors! I had the sourdough and olive oil chocolate flavor, which was basically chocolate ice cream with small chunks of sourdough, which was surprisingly delicious. Nice that they let you sample as many flavors as you want before ordering, and all the other flavors I sampled were great as well. They have a constant menu as well as a rotating limited time menu. There are multiple vegan options on both. We came around 8pm on a saturday and it was very busy, but the line goes pretty fast. read more

Salt & Straw - sourdough olive oil chocolate (vegan), kids scoop - Desserts Near Me - Palo Alto, California

Line could get insanely long here. There are often seasonal flavors and a list of their classic ones. So far I had tried Sea Salt Caramel and more sea salt caramel. I never deviate my choice until today. Today I tried something different since the last time I was at this Salt & Straw eating Sea Salt w/ Caramel Ribbons, I was talking to a friend who has since passed on. I know I would get incredibly sad if I would eat that flavor today. So I chose Birthday Cake & Blackberries, since it was not too long ago and I really miss my friend. Took a pic and sent to one friend who lives in OC. She said that was her favorite. Told her I liked it but Sea Salt w/ Caramel Ribbons is still my fav. ICE CREAM 5/5 Sea salt w/ Caramel Ribbons - solid 5/5 Birthday Cake & Blackberries - 5/5 SERVICE - 5/5 No complaints, the staffs here are often friendly. They always offered to let me try out the flavor first. AMBIANCE 5/5 Often packed and hard to find seatings. However, the few times I ate ice cream here, I managed to get a seat. Popular ice cream place! read more

See all

I love coming to salt & straw and trying all the new flavors! Besides the limited edition flavors, my favorites are olive oil and chocolate gooey brownie. Lines can get long but it goes by fast. Staff is friendly. Parking can be tough as it is on a busy street. Highly recommend if you're wanting to try nontraditional ice cream flavors! read more

See all

Great vegan flavors. Love the smell of the cones being made fresh. Thanks. Delicious. Ordered the strawberry sorbet and two speckled mint chocolate chips kiddie size. read more

See all

Guys at the front refused service on 03/10/2026 saying the close at 10:30pm. One claimed they close at 10pm. Both yelp and google maps say they are open until 11pm. It's contradictory when the door is wide-open! read more

100% the best ice cream in Palo Alto. Having lived in PA for 10+ years I've tasted many. Some come close but nothing compares to Salt and Straw. I love the Salted Carmel Ribbons and get it with a cone 90% of the time. That being said, try the new flavors that change on a monthly basis! read more